Holding device for doors and the like



Sept. 25, 1962 c. H. JORGENSEN HOLDING DEVICE FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1960 '.FIG.2

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INVENTOR. CLARENCE H. JORGENSEN his attorneys.

Sept. 25 1962 c, H. JORGENSEN HOLDING DEVICE FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1960 FIG.4

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INVENTOR. CLARENCE H. JORGENSEN his attorneys nit Patented Sept. 25, 1962 3,055,689 HOLDING DEVICE FGR DOORS AND THE LlKE Clarence H. Jorgensen, 12 Regency Drive, Forest Hills, East Rochester, N.Y. Filed June 29, 1960, Ser. No. 39,550 10 Claims. (Cl. 292-70) This is an invention in the art of holding devices for doors and like movable parts, such, for example, as door stops. Such devices have been made of a laterally flexible character adapted to yield on contact by a floor sweeper or other object, to avoid injury to such parts, but such known flexible devices have been deficient in lacking any adjustment in length as commonly desired to variably control the position of the movable part or door. One object of the invention therefore is to provide an improved device of the above character combining the advantages of both lateral flexibility and adjustability in length to suit the requirements of particular applications.

Another object is the provision of such a device including means for releasably engaging and holding a door or other movable part against movement in either direction from a desired position.

A further object is to supply a device having the above advantages in a construction adapted to be readily and economically manufactured and conveniently installed for use.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side View of a door stop embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. 1 with some parts in central, longitudinal section;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a modified embodiment for both stopping and holding a door or other part against movement;

FIG. 4 is a central, longitudinal section of parts shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a View similar to FIG. 4 but showing other parts in central, longitudinal section;

FIG. 6 is an elevation of an attaching part shown in FIG. 4 as viewed from the left;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged elevation of parts shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 before movement of the parts to attached position, and

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the parts shown in FIG. 7 after closure and attachment of the parts.

The embodiments of the invention herein disclosed, by way of illustration, comprise a base part 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) preferably of disk shape, for attachment to a support 12 which may be either a stationary part such as a wall or a movable part such as a door or the like, the movement of which is to be limited. 'Part 10 is formed on its outer side with a central projecting post 14 having its cylindrical end portion 16 enlarged and threaded with, say 20 threads per inch. Part 10 and post 14 are preferably molded of known and suitable plastic material such as polyethylene (linear). They may be formed integrally or separately formed and attached together as by a wood screw 18 passing through central openings in the post and part 10 and into support 12, for securing such parts together and to the post.

A laterally flexible, wire spring 20, coiled substantially helically is formed preferably of music wire having a diameter of, say, 0.050 of an inch, with 20 coils per inch Wound under tension and closed against one another, as shown. This spring has an outer end 22 having a diameter of, say, 0.425 of an inch and an inner end 24 preferably outwardly tapered and enlarged to a diameter of 0.500 of an inch. This enlarged inner end is threadedly engaged with the threaded end 16 of post 14 as shown, so as to securely mount the spring on the post with some longitudinal adjustment.

A second laterally flexible, helically coiled wire spring 26 is formed of the same wire and in the same manner as spring 20, with 20 coils per inch and an outside diameter of 0.335 of an inch, so that its outer surface, in effect, is threaded for adjustably threaded engagement within the threaded inner surface of spring 20, thus affording longitudinal adjustment of spring 26 in and out of spring 20.

The outer end of Spring 26 has molded or pressed thereon a strike head 28 of vinyl or the like, the reduced inner end 30 of which is thus securely fixed within the outer end of the spring. The outer end of head 28 has a flat surface, as shown, for engaging with a door, shutter, or other movable part to arrest the same and limit its movement.

Since springs 20 and 26 are laterally flexible, the above stop is flexible as a whole, so as to yield for harmless engagement by a carpet sweeper or other article. The substantial longitudinal adjustment for contact head 28 provides the important advantage that the position of the head may be substantially varied to arrest a door or other part in suitably adjusted position and these advantages are accomplished in a compatible way by a simple and effective construction requiring the few parts of small diameter as shown.

Another embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 3-8) affords the additional useful function of releasably holding the door or other movable part against movement in either direction from a desired position. This embodiment includes spaced parts for attachment respectively to a support and a door. A supporting part 32 (FIG. 3) similar to part 10 and molded of similar material is preferably of disk shape and provided with openings for a plurality of screws 34 for securely attaching the same to a supporter door 36. Part 32 has a similar central post 38 (FIG. 4) projecting outwardly and formed with an enlarged and threaded end portion 40 having 20 threads per inch. The base part 32 and its post 38 are preferably molded integrally as shown.

A laterally flexible, spring 42, coiled substantially helically, is preferably formed of music wire or the like having a diameter of 0.050 of an inch, with its inner end preferably tapered outwardly and enlarged as described above in connection with spring 20. The coils of spring 42 are formed in contacting engagement with each other as by winding under tension, with 20 coils per inch, so that the inner end of the spring may be threadedly engaged with the outer end of post 38, as shown. The tubular outer end 44 of spring 42 has a uniform diameter of, say, 0.425 of an inch.

A second helically coiled member 46 is preferably formed of music wire or the like having a diameter of 0.050 of an inch, with 20 coils per inch wound under tension and closed in engagement with one another, the member having an outer diameter of 0.335 of an inch, to adapt it to threadedly engage within the outer end of spring 42, as shown. Member 46, however, is coated with copper and the coating then fused, as by a hydrogen braze treatment, which fixes the coils together so as to prevent lateral bending or longitudinal yielding of the coils and maintain the same rigidly in straight or linear form. It will be noted, however, that a substantial portion of spring 42 is left free for its described flexibility. 3

This method of forming the member, bushing or sleeve 46 requires no machining, while affording external and internal threading of substantial length on a strong, thin bushing in a less expensive and more practical manner than by a machining operation.

A body 48 of suitable plastic material, such as nylon, is molded about the outer end of member 46, as shown, being securely retained thereon by engagement with the coils of the member. Body 48 has an outer end or knob of generally conical shape 50, rounded at its base 52 as shown, for a purpose hereafter described. An element or plug 54 of plastic material, such as polyethylene, has a reduced and threaded shank portion 56 threadedly engaged with the threaded inner surface of member 46. The outer end or head of the plug is provided with a slot 58 engageable with a screwdriver for turning the plug to adjust it longitudinally in member 46.

A second part 60 (FIG. is provided, having a circular base 62 formed with a plurality of openings for wood screws 64 for securing the same to a door or wall 66. Part 60 has an outwardly extending hollow, cylindrical portion or thimble 68 formed at its outer end with an outwardly curved surface 70 adapted for engagement with the conical end or knob 50 of the body 48. The curved surface 70 terminates inwardly in a circular shoulder 72 of less diameter than the interior of thimble portion 68, for engagement over the curved base 52 of knob or cone 50, for releasable engagement of portion 48 within portion 68, to thus stop a door or other movable part and releasably hold it against movement in either direction from the selected position. Shoulder 72 may have a diameter of, say, of an inch, slightly less than the diameter of the base 52 of cone or knob 50 which may have a diameter of /2 of an inch. Part 60 is preferably molded of polyethylene (regular) because of its known resilient characteristics.

Member 46 is threadedly and adjustably secured within spring 42 by engagement of its threaded outer surface with the threaded inner surface of spring 42 and the simultaneous engagement of its threaded inner surface with a threaded head 74 (FIG. 5 formed with twenty threads per inch, so that the strike head or body 48 may be adjusted longitudinally for a substantial distance to control the place of engagement with part 60. Head 74 is secured to base part 32 by a wire 80 as described below, to prevent an outward pull on member 46 from substantially extending spring 42.

Since the lateral flexing of spring 42 involves some extension of its longitudinal axis, head 74 is yieldably secured to base part 32 preferably as follows. Part 32 is formed through its inner side with a hexagonal opening or socket 76 (FIGS. 4 and 6) extending into its post 38, for slidably receiving a similarly shaped head 78 (FIGS. 6-8). The head is preferably formed of brass with a longitudinal opening for receiving the end of a flexible wire 80 the inner end of which is bent angularly across the inner end of head 78, as shown. The brass head is formed at its end with spaced lugs 82 adapted to be bent together to embrace and hold the bent end of the wire as shown, thus firmly securing it to the head.

A coiled spring 84 of 0.020 inch music wire is positioned about the wire 80 between head 78 and the bottom of the socket 76 of part 32 to afford sufiicient yielding of head 78 and Wire 80 to accommodate the flexing and slight resulting extension of spring 42. The angular shapes of the head and socket hold the wire against turning as the member 46 is screwed into or out of spring 42 during the longitudinal adjustment described above.

As the movement of the door brings plug 54 against the part 66 to arrest such movement, the shoulder 72 of thimble part 60 snaps over the curved base 52 of the cone-shaped knob 50 of the strike head body 48 to an extent controlled by adjustment of plug 54, the parts having sufficient resilience to releasably maintain such engagement and hold the door in its desirably adjusted position.

While the parts have been referred to for convenience as attached respectively to a Wall or door or other movable part, it will be appreciated that the spring supporting part or base 32 may be attached to either a wall or door, for cooperation with a door or wall part as found desirable.

It is apparent from the above description that the'invention provides a convenient and efiicient stop device combining both flexibility and longitudinal adjustment for precisely determining the position of a door or other movable part, or for holding the same against movement in either direction from an adjusted positon. Such advantages are accomplished by a construction requiring a minimum number and size of parts capable of being readily and economically manufactured, assembled and installed in use, for reliable and durable service.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects and while it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A laterally flexible door stop and holding device comprising a part for attachment to a wall and a part for attachment to a door, a laterally flexible, coiled wire spring means connecting said parts, one end of said spring means and one of said parts having releasably engageable members for stopping and releasably holding said door in open position, and means connected with the other of said parts and with said spring means for limiting extension of said spring means during release of said members for releasing said door from said open position.

2. A door stop and holding device as claimed in claim 1 in which said releasably engageable members comprise frictionally engageable knob and thimble members.

3. A door stop and holding device as claimed in claim 2 in which one of said members includes a threadedly adjustable stop element for engagement with the other of said members to control the extent of engagement of said members with each other.

4. A door stop and holding device comprising a part for attachment to a wall or door and a part for attachment to a door or Wall, a laterally flexible, coiled wire spring means attached at one end to a first one of said parts, a strike head on the other end of said spring means for engagement with the other of said parts, a flexible Wire extending through said spring means with one end connected to said first part and provided at its other end with means threadedly engaged with said strike head, and releasably engageable means on said strike head and the other of said parts, respectively, for stopping and releasably holding said door in open position.

5. -A laterally flexible door stop and holding device comprising a part for attachment to a wall and a part for engagement to a door, a laterally flexible, coiled wire spring attached at one end to a first one of said parts, a strike head means on the other end of said spring for engagement with the other of said parts, and a flexible wire extending through said spring with one end yieldably connected to said first part and provided at its other end with means threadedly engaged with said strike head means, said strike head means and other part having releasably engageable members for stopping and releasably holding said door in open position.

6. A laterally flexible door stop and holding device as claimed in claim 5 in which said releasably engageable members comprise frictionally engageable knob and thimble members, one of said members including a threadedly adjustable stop element for engagement with the other of said members to control the engagement of said members with each other.

7. A laterally flexible door step and holding device comprising a part for attachment to a wall and a part for attachment to a door, a laterally flexible, wire spring means having one end connected to one of said parts and its other end helically coiled, a member of substantially fixed length threadedly and adjustably connected to the other end of said spring means, holding means on said member for releasable engagement with the other of said parts for holding a door in open position, and means connecting one of said parts and said member for limiting longitudinal extension of said spring means to extension associated with its lateral flexibility.

8. A laterally flexible door stop and holding device as specified in claim 7 in which said member is a cylindrical bushing of fixed length comprising a helically coiled wire having its coils in contact with and fixed to one another to provide its inner and outer surfaces with screw threads, said bushing being threadedly and adjustably engageable in the other end of said spring means.

9. A laterally flexible door stop and holding device as 20 specified in claim 7 in which said holding means comprises cooperating knob and thimble parts provided with means for adjusting the force required for disengagement thereof.

10. A laterally flexible door stop and holding device as specified in claim 7 in which said means connecting one of said parts and said member of fixed length comprises a laterally flexible wire provided with means for threaded and adjustable engagement with said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 469,968 Frisbie Mar. 1, 1892 951,817 Hendricks 'Mar. 15, 1910 1,670,839 Butts May 22, 1928 2,767,421 Fremstad Oct. 23, 1956 2,808,609 Schultz Oct. 8, 1957 2,882,547 Bacon Apr. 21, 1959 3,025,559 Basiuger Mar. 20, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 330,232 Germany Dec. 10, 1920 

